The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 15, 1996
Filed:
May. 17, 1994
Yoichi Katayama, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A three-dimensional image processing apparatus and method wherein a three-dimensional digital image in a three-dimensional memory is cut and read out to perform image processing. Addresses of a two-dimensional digital differential analyzer are first calculated by ray tracing in a direction of a vector on one plane of a three plane coordinate system of a three-dimensional coordinate system, and then data of voxel columns, arranged perpendicularly to the one plane coordinate system in the three-dimensional space along straight lines perpendicular to the ray at the addresses, are read out in units of a column for the individual voxel columns from the three-dimensional memory. A pair of three-dimensional memories are utilized, and a writing operation of a three-dimensional digital image into one of the three-dimensional memories and a reading out operation of the voxel columns from the other three-dimensional memory are performed simultaneously in a parallel relationship.